I know - Let's go to A&E!

It’s been a month now, since the surgery. Gotta say, it’s been a bit up and down. As those of you who’ve travelled this type of path will know, you tend to get good days and not so good days. When I look back at my “lows” over the past month, and I compare my journey with others I know of, I consider myself to be relatively fortunate. There were only two really standout events. One was an a Staph infection in my arm – which was relegated to the soon to be forgotten past with the use of some antibiotics. The other was a visit to the A&E Department of the hospital to get someone to check out my eye.

It kinda started in the early hours of a Friday morning, so we decided a trip to the A&E before the weekend was a good idea. We had to hang around at home in the morning ‘cause the District Nurse was coming to change my dressings, but after she’d been and gone, off we went. My last trip to A&E was about five years ago when I had an unexpected bleed after my first cancer removal surgery. Well, let me tell you – things have certainly changed.

After the obligatory three times round the carpark to find a slot, and then wandering the corridors of the hospital for awhile we arrived at A&E. (Actually, I think they just call it the Emergency Department these days – not really sure, and don’t really care.) Anyway, we fronted up to a counter that any bank in New Zealand would be envious of, found the 100mm. wide slot in the plexiglass and started to tell Ms. Grump – first name Surly – why we were interrupting her day. After identifying myself and coming up with, what we thought, was a plausible reason for being there, we were instructed to “Sit on the Red Chairs” which we did with a fair degree of alacrity.

After waiting for a few minutes, Ms. Grump came out from behind the barricades armed with a number of clipboards, called out a name and a man next to us perked up, said yes and was handed one of the clipboards with instructions to make sure he was who the piece of paper on the clipboard said he was. We went through the same process, which left Ms. Grump with one more clipboard. When she called out a name, a guy behind us answered. Well, protocol went straight out the window as Ms. Grump immediately told him off for not sitting on the red chairs. The cheek of the guy – making her take an extra two steps to hand him the clipboard. But I think really, it probably made her day – giving her an opportunity to growl at someone.

Anyway, we were soon called up by the Triage Nurse – who lives behind her own little plexiglass barricade, did a review on who we were and why we were there, and were then told to go and wait on the grey seats until we were called. So, off we went, found some seats and “people watched” until we were summoned.

After some time – more than five minutes but less than an hour – we were identified and escorted into a treatment area where we watched on as the nurse who took us in had a fight with a bedsheet and pillow. After ensuring that the sheet was sufficiently subdued I was instructed to sit on the edge of the bed, which I did immediately - I didn't want any of the hurt she'd inflicted on the sheet. She then went through the ID process and started gazing into my eyes, while making noises like “tut” and “mmmmm” and then poking me in various places while asking if it hurt. Anyway, after awhile she went away and started writing what I think was her shopping list, on a computer. 

Sometime after that another lady turned up who identified herself as a Nurse Practitioner. After more gazing and tutting she announced that I needed an eyesight test and took us into a different room that had an Eyechart stuck on a very distant wall. Then she got out a very bright light and got up close and personal. After an “ah hah” moment she announced that I had eyelashes facing into my eye instead of out and, also what she thinks might be suture material in my eye.

Right, I thought, let’s get it out so I can go home. Well, that wasn’t a happening thing. “I’m not touching it,” she says. “I’m going to ring the Ophthalmologist and see if they can have a look at you.” So, to cut a long story short, once more we find ourselves sitting on the grey chairs waiting to find out what the plan is. After not too long, we’re told to set out to find Villa 3 where there’s currently an eye clinic in progress. Soon, we find ourselves in a little room in Villa 3 where a nice young man is busy shining more bright lights at me. After awhile he puts some numbing eyedrops in and proceeds to pluck my eyelashes. Then he asks me if my eye feels better? I say yes, not really knowing if he’s fixed the problem or if the numbing drops are busy at work.

Next thing – a familiar face pops her head in the door. It’s the Eye Surgeon who, after removing a BCC from my lower eyelid, referred me to the Maxillofacial Surgeon who found the cancer. I’ll be forever grateful to her for that referral, because she took the time to listen and take note of my whinging.  She has a look at my eye and straight away she’s making a plan. So, I’ll be seeing her again soon, hopefully to sort out my double vision.

It turns out it was just on four hours to get myself sorted out. I’m quite happy with that. Once again, the Public Hospital system has worked a treat for me – identifying and fixing the problem while dealing with all their protocols and systems.

So, just to recap, since I got back from Auckland, I’ve been…

• Visited by a District Nurse for dressing changes three times a week.
• Referred to a Hand Therapist to make sure my left arm and wrist are recovering properly from the surgery – which they are.
• Referred to a Physio to make sure I don’t have any neck or shoulder issues from the Neck Resection – which I don’t.
• Referred to the Eye Clinic to sort out the material scratching my eye. Which they did
• Back to Auckland Hospital for a checkup, where the Surgeon was pretty chuffed with his own handiwork – as was I - and where I found out there were clear margins all around the cancer that was removed.

And now I’m going to be…

• Referred to Ophthalmology to sort out my double vision.
• Referred to the Radiotherapy Oncologist to schedule the radiotherapy which will be done in Palmerston North. 

Busy, busy!!

No, not really. I gotta say, I miss working.

Weird, right?

Anyway, I’m still on the lookout for something to fill my days, even though I know I won’t be able to settle down to anything until after the Radiotherapy. In the meantime, I guess I’ll just keep pumping out drivel like this.

Thanks to all of you who’ve been in touch. I really do appreciate your kind wishes and your concern. I hope you are all keeping yourselves healthy and enjoying life. Remember…